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Don Lusk

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description Don Lusk Overview

Don Lusk (1913-2018) was an American animator and director whose career included work at Walt Disney Productions, Hanna-Barbera, and other animation studios. During his time at Disney, he contributed to films from the studio's classic period, including Pinocchio and Cinderella. He later worked extensively in television animation and participated in animated productions based on Peanuts. His career illustrates the transition from theatrical hand-drawn animation to long-running television production.

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What Disney films did Don Lusk animate on?

Lusk joined Walt Disney Productions in the 1930s and contributed to classics from Pinocchio (1940) and Fantasia through Cinderella (1950) and the features of the 1950s and early 1960s. He was a feature animator across most of the studio's golden-age and mid-century output.

What did Don Lusk do at Hanna-Barbera?

After leaving Disney, he spent decades in television animation at Hanna-Barbera as an animator and director. He is especially associated with directing episodes of The Smurfs during its long 1980s run, among many other series.

Did Don Lusk animate Snoopy in the Peanuts specials?

Yes. Lusk also worked for Bill Melendez's studio on the Peanuts television specials, animating Snoopy across many productions. It made him one of the few animators to span golden-age features, Saturday-morning TV, and the Peanuts franchise.

How old was Don Lusk when he died?

Lusk died in 2018 at age 105, having been born in 1913. His lifespan covered the entire history of American animation, from Snow White-era Disney to modern television.